Spotify hosts Lagos party to mark Afrobeats’ global success

Spotify, the music streaming service, recently held a two-day event in Lagos to celebrate the global success of Afrobeats.

The successful launch of the ‘Afrobeats: Journey of a Billion Streams’ site that celebrates the milestone of the genre culminated in events that captivated not just the music aficionados but anyone who had the privilege to be part of the Afrobeats journey.

The event, which was held on Thursday and Friday at La Madison Place in Lekki, Lagos, showcased and celebrated the rich culture of Afrobeats and the remarkable achievements of the genre through the years.

It brought together celebrities, podcasters, influencers, music executives, media personalities and music fans.

Speaking at the Afrobeats celebration, Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, the streaming platform’s managing director in Sub-Saharan Africa, said, “Spotify’s commitment to connecting people with the music they love is at the heart of everything we do.

“We’re thrilled to continue celebrating Afrobeats’ milestones and reinforce our commitment to the growth of the music ecosystem in Nigeria and across Africa.”

The two-day celebrations began with a masterclass session featuring Ncebakazi Manzi, the podcast manager for Spotify in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The session provided an engaging platform for podcast enthusiasts, diving deep into the craft of storytelling, exploring innovative techniques and insights, and illustrating Spotify’s commitment to empowering podcast creators.

Following the session, there was a fireside chat facilitated by Gwenevier Ehimen Lem from the Association of African Podcasters and Voiceover Artists (APVA). It also featured a panel of industry experts, including Tony Doe from Into The Podverse and Tony Doe Media, Ayomide Tayo from Loose Talk, Dami Aros from So Nigerian, and Fay Fay, the founder of Naija Podhub.

Attendees were then later treated to captivating and thought-provoking live podcast recordings, featuring highly acclaimed Nigerian content creators Jola Ayeye and Feyikemi Abudu from “I Said What I Said,” and Joey Akan from “Afrobeats Intelligence.”

In a conversation with Victor Okpala, Spotify’s artist and label partnerships manager for West Africa, Akan delved into a range of topics, spanning from the success of Afrobeats and playlisting strategies to Spotify’s contributions to the music ecosystem.

The “I Said What I Said” live show guests were artistes, Nissi Ogulu and Pheelz, followed by a live Q&A session. The event ended with an exhilarating performance from Pheelz.

On Day 2, the celebration commenced with an electric atmosphere and performances that saw a huge turnout of Afrobeats enthusiasts who were eager to indulge in the night’s festivities.

The dance floor was alive with activity, and the room hummed with infectious enthusiasm, thanks to DJ Tohbad, who skillfully set the stage with a continuous flow of chart-topping tracks by Nigerian artistes.

The evening transitioned smoothly into the night’s performances featuring some of the most talented emerging and established artistes from Nigeria. Bloody Civilian, who is also a Spotify RADAR Africa artiste, had guests singing along to her hit songs, including ‘I Don’t Like You’.

Next on stage was FAVE, another Spotify EQUAL artiste, who enthralled the crowd with some of her hit songs including ‘Baby Riddim’, ‘Beautifully’ and ‘Mr Man’, leaving the guests yearning for more.

Shallipopi set the stage on fire, delivering crowd-pleasing hits including ‘Sharpiru’, ‘Ex-Convict’ and ‘Elon Musk’.

Ruger closed off the night, starting off with some of his hit songs that lit up the audience, displaying his unique style.

The venue was awash with gentle, warm lighting that accentuated Spotify’s brand image while the stage featured mesmerising visual projections showcasing details about the Afrobeats genre.

The experiential booths were designed to recreate the Afrobeats microsite, offering attendees a chance to be fully immersed in the chronology of the Afrobeats genre.

Spotify’s Afrobeats Celebration was not just a music event, it was a celebration of culture, diversity and the power of music to unite people. With 15 billion streams and counting, Spotify continues to shape the future of the music industry. This journey has just begun, and we can’t wait to see where it leads.